title: Predictors of desaturation in the postoperative anesthesia care unit: an observational study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate predictors of desaturation and to identify practice for patient transport following general anesthesia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Observational quality assurance study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Postanesthesia Care Unit (PACU) of a university-affiliated, tertiary-care hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  All adult postsurgical patients who received general anesthesia and who were admitted to the PACU.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients were observed over a three-month study period during transfer to the PACU with or without oxygen supplementation. Sixteen variables related to patient, surgery, and anesthesia were recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study recorded a total of 502 PACU admissions. The practice pattern showed that 57% of patients were transferred without oxygen and 19% of the entire sample had an initial oxygen desaturation of less than 90% on arrival to the PACU. Only 0.8% of patients experienced oxygen desaturation when they were transferred with oxygen supplementation. After logistic regression analysis, the most significant predictor of desaturation was transport without oxygen.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The majority of anesthesiologists did not use supplemental oxygen for patient transfer. As a result, a higher incidence of postoperative desaturation was noted in their patients. Significant predictors of desaturation after general anesthesia included patients' sedation score, low respiratory rate, and transport without oxygen. The use of oxygen almost completely prevented desaturation during transport.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesia and Pain Management, Mount Sinai Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont., Canada M5G 1X5. Electronic address: naveed.siddiqui@uhn.on.ca.
authors.forename: Naveed
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Siddiqui
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesia and Pain Management, Mount Sinai Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont., Canada M5G 1X5.
authors.forename: Cristian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Arzola
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesia and Pain Management, Mount Sinai Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont., Canada M5G 1X5.
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Teresi
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesia and Pain Management, Mount Sinai Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont., Canada M5G 1X5.
authors.forename: Gordon
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fox
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesia and Pain Management, Mount Sinai Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont., Canada M5G 1X5.
authors.forename: Laarni
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Guerina
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesia and Pain Management, Mount Sinai Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont., Canada M5G 1X5.
authors.forename: Zeev
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Friedman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000762:Anesthesia Recovery Period; D000768:Anesthesia, General / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016292:Procedural Sedation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009864:Ontario; D010102:Oxygen Inhalation Therapy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010360:Patient Transfer / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D011182:Postoperative Care / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D011997:Recovery Room; D056152:Respiratory Rate; D012307:Risk Factors
keywords: Anesthesia; Hypoxemia; Postoperative care; Recovery period